R.I. House Republicans unveil legislative agenda
A close-up shows the distinctive red curtains in the Rhode Island House of Representatives. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)
After receiving bipartisan support in 2024, the creation of an Office of the Inspector General once again tops the legislative wish list of Rhode Island House Republicans.
The House Minority Caucus in the Rhode Island House of Representatives released its slate of policy wants and budget priorities Monday, with the stated goal of slimming down the state's proposed $14 billion spending plan for fiscal 2026, 'which is disproportionate to the state's size, economy and population,' according to the caucus' news release.
'The 'approach' to creating a budget, is just as important as what is put in the budget,' said House Minority Leader Mike Chippendale of Foster in a statement.
Republican-led legislation calling for an inspector general has been thwarted by the House's Democratic majority before. Versions of the bill circulated in the State House for more than a decade, but the idea gained momentum and Democratic co-sponsors last year with increasing scrutiny of the state's management of construction work on the westbound Washington Bridge, which is now being demolished to be rebuilt.
This year's bill will incorporate feedback from last year's version of the bill, which died in committee, said Sue Stenhouse, the House Minority spokesperson, in an email Monday.
'It will be introduced as soon as Rep. [George] Nardone has in hand,' Stenhouse wrote.
Nardone, a Coventry Republican who is the House senior deputy minority leader, was lead sponsor on the bill last year. He received support from nine House Democrats, including those with typically progressive voting records, like Reps. Teresa Tanzi of Wakefield and Brandon Potter of Cranston
But the inspector general is one part of alleviating the taxpayer burden for state initiatives, according to the GOP press release. That aligns with other thrifty proposals, like eliminating the state Department of Housing and consolidating municipal housing agencies to county-wide entities.
The House Minority Caucus also called for narrowing Medicaid eligibility, which the federal government leaves up to states to determine, to more closely align with and serve 'the most vulnerable populations, the disabled and the elderly.' The goal is to sustain the state's Medicaid program in the long term. The hypothetical Medicaid savings would then be reinvested in other areas, like home- and community-based for elderly Rhode Islanders and people with disabilities.
The caucus also wants to see an enrollment cap on charter schools so more students can be accommodated, as well as returning schools under state control to local administration. Both Providence's and Central Falls' public schools remain under state control.
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'In the past, Republicans would offer 'good government' legislation and budget amendments to improve government efficiency, better leverage federal tax dollars, and fight inflation,' Chippendale continued in his statement. 'By outlining our legislative and fiscal priorities in a single comprehensive approach, we hope to showcase a thoughtful, viable alternative to the budgeting approach used by the Governor and our colleagues across the aisle.'
The Republican budget is modeled after the House Fiscal Advisory Staff's annual report and analysis of the gubernatorial budget, which is divided into 14 sections, including major budget issues, transportation, health and other topics. The Republican budget offered a truncated analysis and the party's priorities for each section, with the proposed Office of the Inspector General topping the GOP list of 'General Issues' in state government.
Neighboring Massachusetts has an inspector general, Jeffrey Shapiro, who visited a Rhode Island House committee hearing last May to testify on the 2024 iteration of the bill. The inspector general is charged with 'detect[ing] fraud, waste and abuse of public funds and public property and promot[ing] transparency and efficiency in government,' according to the office's website.
Last year, a survey of likely voters by Salve Regina University found that nearly three-quarters of the 1,450 respondents supported the creation of a Rhode Island Office of the Inspector General.
The inspector general legislation was also introduced this year in the Rhode Island Senate on Jan. 31, led by Democratic Sen. Leonidas Raptakis of Coventry. It now goes to the Senate Committee on Finance. A hearing has not yet been scheduled.
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